Torbin Zixx's Revenge
by MiyamotoUsagiFan
Summary: When Usagi takes it upon himself to remove a potential threat to Lord Kiyoshi, Gen finds himself in hot water with Torbin Zixx.


**Torbin Zixx's Revenge**

Two figures crouched behind large metal transport crates on opposite sides of the star base's docking bay. One was a samurai, a bodyguard and advisor to a powerful lord. The other, a pirate.

"_Tell me again Long Ears, why are we doing this?" _spoke the pirate into the other's ear via headphone.

"Because, Gen, as long as this infiltrator is able to penetrate the base, Lord Kiyoshi is in potential danger. This base is trafficking a very adept smuggler, who could take interest in Lord Kiyoshi and attempt to harm him in some way." Whispered "Long Ears" into his mouthpiece.

"_But Usagi, this isn't our job! This isn't your base! This isn't even our dimension! Can't you just protect Lord Kiyoshi by being at his side? That's what you do back home."_

There was a pause as the samurai gathered his thoughts, deciding how to best explain why they were doing this to his assistant, whom he knew was well aware already of why they were doing this (and who would probably come back to try to break into this place himself once their young lord's mission of diplomacy was over), without leaving an opening for further argument against his plan.

"_Rhogen,"_ the voice speaking into Gen's ear was very patient, but very serious. _"I know that as a Soldier of Fortune you like to keep security lax, but you must start thinking more like, well, like a Soldier of Fortune when helping me protect Lord Kiyoshi. The smuggler who has been infiltrating this base may take an interest in Lord Kiyoshi and harm him in some way. Most criminals are not honest like you, Gen, they are dishonorable, lying scoundrels."_

'_Dishonorable Scoundrels?', _thought Gen, _he won't give up. _"Pirate." he growled into the mouthpiece, correcting his friend's terminology just to have the last word. He was really getting tired of Usagi's urgings that he should stop with his smuggling operations while he was "still ahead."

He had an uncomfortable suspicion that Usagi was actually expecting him to break into this base in the near future. Just for the record, he'd already broken into the base a number of times, without getting caught he might add, and had been benefiting from the computerized registration system that automatically registered his contraband as "legal, documented, and taxed" for several months now. And it was all thanks to that wonderful little blind spot in the sensor array.

But now his operations in the Third Dimension were in peril because now _somebody else_ had found the blind too, and had left evidence of their passing.

_Darn it! Why did Lord Kiyoshi even come to the Third Dimension anyway? Everything was going perfectly until he brought Usagi here!_

And of course Gen knew what a tempting target Lord Kiyoshi was. He had tipped off Usagi a number of times to several kidnapping and assassination attempts after all

But he really didn't want whoever was sneaking into and smuggling through the base's cargo bays to get caught by him.

Why?

1.) Because he wanted to pound into a pulp whoever the jerk was who dared to do "business" on what he considered as exclusively his turf.

No one except the infamous Torbin Zixx had managed to use this particular base to transport contraband before Rhogen came along. Heck, Zixx himself had probably created the blind spot and was angry that someone else had found the breach at all. But that doesn't count because Zixx has created back doors in literally hundreds of star bases and other high security places; he had to have expected one of them to be discovered by a person of questionable repute sooner or later. Aad Gen had not led any law enforcers right to the breach like this bozo had.

And 2.) because once who ever is sneaking in is caught, they'll probably squeal about how they got in and the breach will be sealed up.

And Gen wouldn't be able to reopen it, he was sure. That meant that whenever Torbin Zixx came around again, he'll find that his nifty little personal entrance had been sealed up and hear something about a rhinoceros smuggler who had once managed to smuggle very valuable and illegal goods across a very high security boarder, which this base was located on, and come looking for him.

_I'll be minced meat! _After all, Torbin Zixx isn't just a smuggler, he's Zixx of the Black Blade! _And after knowing Usagi, I don't want to find out how he got that name._

Gen briefly entertained the thought of just telling Usagi the truth, that he was using this base to smuggle illegal goods and he knew where the breach was and could he pretty, pretty please not seal it up so that an infamous character of darkness and mystery wouldn't hunt him down and kill him?

It would get him into a world of trouble with Usagi; and Usagi would have to decide whether to hand him over to base security or not, which would be bad if he did. Especially of some judge had mercy on him and sent handed custody of him right back over to Lord Kiyoshi, after all Gen technically as an interdimensional traveler, he could be lawfully handed over to the custody of his own people for punishment, and since he had pledged his allegiance to the child lord, Lord Kiyoshi would be granted custody. That meant he would have to face Usagi's wrath for putting the clan's repute in danger with his illegal activities.

Gen gave a shudder at that last thought.

So, whether he told his honor bound friend or not all came down to a matter of whom he was scared of more; Usagi's sense of Honor and Loyalty, or Torbin the Enigma possibly finding him.

_**Six weeks later…**_

_Oooohh no. This is it, the end._

The reason for Gen's morbid line of thought was the cloaked figure, mysterious and menacing, who had materialized in front of him and had just asked:

"Are you the rhino smuggler who formerly had been able to smuggle Dilorium crystals across the 2061th border into Canoian territory?"

_I don't know how I know, but __**this**__ is __**him**__! __**Zixx!**_

"Who wants to know?" Rhogen put up a façade of nonchalance; he managed it well, with only a slight waver in his voice.

_If I'm going to die, I'm not leaving this plane as a coward._

"I'll take that as a yes." said the figure with an odd tone in his voice.

Suddenly, Gen's world went black.

XXXX

"Oooohh…"

"I wouldn't wake up just yet if I were you Rhogen-san." said a young and familiar voice.

"What…?"

"Shhh… Usagi is only a few yards away, if he knew you were awake…."

That greatly confused Gen, so he opened his eyes anyway and looked around, being careful not to move around too much. He was on a narrow, and not too comfortable, cot attached to the wall, the opposite wall was missing, or it appeared to be missing. Gen could hear the familiar hum of a force field.

_A prison cell._

Lord Kiyoshi was standing behind (or in front of?) the force field outside the cell with his first finger to his lips and a nervous expression in his eyes, signaling Gen to keep quiet. Several yards beyond him the figure of Usagi talking to a mean looking Peace Keeper came into focus…

_Lord Kiyoshi…Usagi…Peace Keeper… _Something clicked in Gen's head._ Usagi… and Peace Keepers… Bad. Bad. Bad, babdbabad._

"I assure you, Captain, I will deal with his punishment myself and Lord Kiyoshi has promised to compensate the Canoians government for any lost revenue in taxes…" came Usagi's voice. Gen could tell that he was controlling his tone very carefully, like he was trying hard not to betray his true emotions; negative emotions.

_Oh no… Usagi's going to hand me my hide when he gets a hold of me!_

Somehow,Gen decided, Torbin Zixx had managed to take his revenge in the most effective and terrifying way imaginable.


End file.
